schneider+schumacher

The new “West Harbour” quarter was one of the most interesting and attractive new urban developments in Frankfurt due to its central location and being right on the river. schneider+schumacher developed main parts of the master planning and executed four of its key buildings (West Harbour Tower, West Harbour House, West Harbour Bridge-Building and West Harbour-Pier) at both ends of the site.

Westhafen Pier (West Harbour Pier) is the name for a set of buildings that form a novel synthesis of office buildings and an over-ground carpark on what used to be the warehousing section of the Frankfurt/Main West Harbor. The design was strongly influenced by the decidedly industrial setting of the long, slightly curving shape of the site. To the East is the newly built quarter with residential and office properties on the former West Harbor area, to the West the Main Neckar Bridge which carries a lot of rail traffic, to the South the river bank with the shipping guidance channel for deliveries to the heating power station immediately adjacent to the North with its complex infrastructure. Coal supply lines for the power station that cut across the area are being made possible once again as part of the project.

 The solution to the complex requirements: an almost nine-meter-high base that follows the course of the terrain, and featuring three stories that provide parking space. The design stands out for the 400m long arcades that run around it, whereby V-shaped reinforced concrete supports act as the load-bearing structure. The reinforced concrete channel that takes the conveyor system for the coal supply line is integrated into the building. Zones designated for a café, exhibition rooms and offices are included at the West and North ends of the base. Above it is a fan-like structure consisting of five 4-storey office wings with interconnecting buildings. In terms of shape, the scale-like facades are reminiscent of the bellows of a camera. The closed surfaces are clad in sheet metal, the open areas feature wall-to-ceiling glazed window sections. The materials and the surface finishes emulate the coarse feel of the surroundings, but thanks to their processing and details seem finer and more elegant.